1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to water beds and more particularly to a method and apparatus for making up water beds.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The use and operational positioning and retention of bedding and bed sheets, both on conventional mattresses and water bed mattresses, presents the type of annoying problems that remain unsolved satisfactorily. Prior efforts to solve the problems with relation to the older, conventional mattresses may be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 739,682; 1,297,551; 2,507,091; 3,606,622; and 4,100,632.
With the fairly recent advent of the water bed, there have arisen bedding problems of even greater complexity. Those skilled in the art will, of course, appreciate that the plastic or flexible character of a fluid-filled mattress vitiates some of the earlier devices that might have proved relatively effective with the more rigid conventional mattress. Problems representative of the type encountered with water beds are described in Katzakian U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,555; Hruban U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,398; Whitfield U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,608; and Lynn U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,377.
The complexity and magnitude of the problems encountered with water beds is perhaps best appreciated from an examinatin of Katzakian U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,555. That reference teaches a complicated folding frame structure which is separate and apart from the water bed. A pad which is designed to be positioned between the occupant and the fluid-filled bladder is connected to the frame with marginal edge hook and loop type fasteners or the like. The top sheet has hemmed pockets on three sides into which the pivotal members of the frame structure are inserted and that sheet, which is double length, is folded back toward the head of the bed. The entire frame thus attired is positioned over the bladder and rests on the bed frame.
Despite the sophistication and complexity of the described patented bed sheet frame, the shortcomings attendant the use of that structure are apparent. Thus, for example, the "making" of the bed is complicated and difficult. With a frame structure most likely made of metal rods, there exists the danger of damage to the fluid bladder. Similarly, there exists the danger of injury to the occupant who could roll over against the frame structure. The sheets, and particularly the top sheet, are of such unusual form and dimensions that special laundering processes are probably required. Finally, there is the obvious expense of the frame structure and highly specialized sheets.
The next development in attempting to solve the problems of water bed coverings is shown in Hruban U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,398. Since a waterbed mattress is a flexible, fluid-filled vessel, that patent concludes that some earlier devices, which are relatively effective with more rigid, conventional mattresses, are ineffective on waterbeds. To overcome this stated deficiency, the patent discloses a generally rectangular waterbed sheet including hemmed pockets along its sides but not its corners. Each pocket is adapted to telescopically receive a rigid member in the form of a rod that in use is gripped between the walls of the bedframe and bladder-mattress to prevent movement of the sheet. Thus, the sheet must be particularly dimensioned to properly drape over the mattress to ensure that the rods are gripped at the desired point between the mattress and the bedframe walls.
A more recent, but still complicated, attempt to solve the problem of water bed coverings, is disclosed in Whitfield U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,608. That device employed a releasable mattress cover holder, including a rectangular anchoring device positioned below the sleeping surface of the mattress. The invention also included fastening members for connecting the anchoring device to a mattress cover.
Most recently Lynn U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,377 sought to provide a simple solution in the way of a sheet retainer for waterbeds.
There thus exists a need for a method and apparatus for making up water beds that is simple. The present invention is distinguished from this and other prior art by its method and apparatus of making up water beds wherein a standard size bottom sheet is first placed across the mattress and overhangs the sides of the water bed. A rod or pole having a length, e.g., six feet, slightly less than the length of the mattress is then placed over the sheet at one edge of the bed and then pressed between the mattress and the water bed frame to draw the sheet downward between the mattress and the frame. The rod or pole is pressed downward to the bottom of the water bed frame where the sidewise pressure of the mattress causes the mattress to overlie the pole and edge of the sheet to positively hold the edge of the sheet in place. A second rod or pole of like size is then placed over the sheet at the opposite edge of the bed and pressed between the mattress and the water bed frame to draw the sheet downward between the mattress and the frame. This second rod or pole is also pressed downward to the bottom of the water bed frame where the sidewise pressure of the mattress causes the mattress to overlie the pole and edge of the sheet to positively hold the edge of the sheet in place. While the rods or poles at each edge of the water bed are effective to hold the edges of the sheet in place, if desired, one may similarly use rods or poles at the head and foot ends of the bed to hold the top and bottom of the sheet in place.